Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the cheddar cheese. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Mix in the buttermilk, stirring, just until the dough holds together.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 7 1/2-inch square that's 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into nine 2 1/2-inch squares and transfer the squares to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let the biscuits cool slightly and serve.